Chloe Macpherson (Woy Woy PS), Robert Macgregor (casual), Tullia Price (Brisbane Waters Secondary College Umina Campus), Sarah Ratcliffe (Gosford PS), and Mark Lockyer (Gosford PS) network on the waterfront.

Networking for educators in same boat

By

Ingrid Hasler

New teachers are getting together to share lesson ideas and establish relationships with educators of similar experience.

The next meeting of the Central Coast New Educators Network will be held at Iguana Joe's, Gosford, on Wednesday May 21 at 5pm. Any teachers who have been appointed to the area in the last five years are encouraged to attend.

The Central Coast New Educators Network was formed last year as an avenue for active, enthusiastic members to meet, support and encourage one another and subsequently become more aware members of Federation.

So far this year the New Educators Network has met twice. The events focus upon introducing new teachers to a social support network by providing them with an informal opportunity to mix with those in similar positions or circumstances. This enables new teachers to become familiar with, gain insights from and share experiences with fellow colleagues outside of their own school.

Those in attendance at the New Educators Network meetings are also provided with an opportunity to hear about the role of Federation, upcoming events and campaigns and about the benefits of being an active member of the union. Newly appointed teachers are able to meet with their local Organiser and other activists of the union. The Central Coast New Educators Network is proudly supported by the Gosford Teachers Association, subsidising the meetings by providing finger food.

The Gosford Teachers Association recognises that although the Central Coast is a heavily populated, favourable, sought-after area, it can still be an isolating experience for newly appointed teachers who are often appointed to a school that has an established, long serving staff. This is in contrast to smaller, regional areas where there is a higher turnover of staff and a tendency for a higher proportion of staff members to be early career teachers. Naturally in smaller communities there is a tendency for people to automatically band together, supporting one another professionally, personally and socially.

On the Central Coast, this is not necessarily automatically the case. The Central Coast expands from Lake Macquarie to the Peninsula and, therefore, staff members at any given school can often disperse after work in all directions on the compass. This is where the Gosford Teachers Association has identified a niche that the union is playing a major part in filling. The union is a body of people who are there to help, assist, advise and support in whatever way possible.

Stephen Pfeiffer of Narara Valley High School said some of the benefits of forming a network of newly appointed teachers are "sharing lesson ideas and experiences that you can use as well as establishing relationships with teachers of similar age, background and/or experience".

"There is a need to break down the apathy and indifference of new teachers who believe the media hype and labels given to unions. It is important to help new teachers understand the value of the Federation," he said.

Any questions or queries can be directed to ingrid.hasler1@education.nsw.gov.au.

Ingrid Hasler teaches at Point Clare PS and is Gosford TA Junior Vice-President and New Activists Contact.

For further information

May 2008 contents